[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-20431]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 19, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Bonneville Power Administration
Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for Vancouver
Lowlands and Western Pond Turtle Wildlife Mitigation Projects
AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.
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SUMMARY: BPA proposes to fund the Vancouver Lowlands Wildlife
Mitigation Project located in floodplains and wetlands in Clark County
in the State of Washington and the Western Pond Turtle Wildlife
Mitigation Project located in floodplains and wetlands in Lane, Linn,
Marion, Polk, Benton, Clackamas, Yamhill, Washington, Multnomah, and
Douglas Counties within the State of Oregon.
In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), BPA
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and will perform the
proposed actions in a manner so as to avoid or minimize potential harm
to or within the affected floodplains and wetlands.
The assessment will be included in each of the environmental
assessments being prepared for the proposed projects in accordance with
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. A floodplain
statement of finding will be included in any findings of no significant
impact that may be issued following the completion of the environmental
assessments.
DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than August 22,
1994.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Public Involvement Manager,
Bonneville Poser Administration--ALP, P.O. Box 12999, Portland, Oregon
97212.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Roy B. Fox, NEPA Compliance Officer-PG, Bonneville Poser
Administration, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621, telephone
number 503-230-4261, fax number 503-230-3752.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Vancouver Lowlands Wildlife Mitigation
Project area is located along the western border of Clark County,
extending north and west of the City of Vancouver, Washington. It
consists of approximately 2123 hectares (5245 acres) of riparian,
wetland and pasture habitat along the Columbia River floodplain. The
Columbia River borders the southern and western boundaries of the
project area (T2N, R1E, Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 20; T2N, R1W,
Sections 1 and 12; T3N, R1W, Sections 35, 36, and 37; T3N, R1E,
Sections 30 and 31.) Major riparian and wetland features of the area
include the Columbia River, Vancouver Lake, Lake River, Buckmire and
Matthew Sloughs, Shillapoo Lakebed, and Post Office, Round, Green,
Curtis, and Campbell lakes. Several smaller wetlands occur throughout
the project area. Land ownership within the project area includes
Washington Department of Wildlife, Clark County, Port of Vancouver,
Washington Department of Natural Resources and several private
landowners. BPA proposes to fund implementation of a wildlife
management strategy that would protect, enhance and restore wildlife
habitat in the Vancouver Lowlands. Existing wetlands would be
maintained or restored where possible, and enhanced to improve wildlife
habitat. Enhancement activities could include control or removal of
non-native fish and plant species and agricultural cultivation,
planting and irrigation.
The Western Pond Turtle Wildlife Mitigation Project spans the
entire Willamette River Hydrographic Basin, thus including the
Willamette River floodplain. the townships and ranges that
approximately compose the basin are: T3N, R5W-R2W; T2N, R5W-R2W; T1N,
R5W-R7E; T1S, R5W-R7E; T2S, R5W-R7E; T3S, R5W-R7E; T4S, R5W-R7E; T5S,
R5W-R7E; T6S, R5W-R7E; T7S, R5W-R7E; T8S, R5W-R7E; T9S, R5W-R7E; T10S,
R5W-R7E; T11S, R5W-R7E; T12S, R5W-R7E; T13S, R5W-R7E; T14S, R5W-R7E;
T15S, R5W-R7E; T16S, R5W-R7E; T17S, R5W-R7E; T18S, R5W-R7E; T19S, R5W-
R7E; T20S, R5W-R7E; T21S, R5W-R7E; T22S, R5W-R7E; T23S, R5W-R7E; T24S,
R5W-R7E; T25S, R3E-R7E. Within the boundaries of the Willamette River
Hydrographic Basin, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's (ODFW)
Western Pond Turtle Management Plan offers a system of nodes and
corridors as potential mitigation lands. This proposal is called the
Willamette Ecosystem Reserve Matrix (WERM). The major WERM nodes that
include wetlands are: the Fern Ridge Reservoir area, the West Eugene
Wetlands area, the Finley National Wildlife Refuge area, and the
Buckhead Slough-Hospital Creek area. Land ownership within the project
area includes the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Forest Service, the
United States Bureau of Land Management, the State of Oregon, Lane
County, the Nature Conservancy, and several private parties. BPA
proposes to fund implementation of the ODFW Western Pond Turtle
Management Plan in order to protect, enhance and restore western pond
turtle habitat in the Willamette River Hydrographic Basin. Enhancement
activities could include control or removal of non-native fish and
plant species, the restoration of native vegetation, coalescence and/or
augmentations of western pond turtle populations in secure habitats,
application of wire enclosures to protect nests, and/or alterations of
current land management/use patterns.
Maps and further information are available from BPA at the address
above.
Issued in Portland, Oregon, on August 8, 1994.
Roy B. Fox,
NEPA Compliance Officer, Office of Power Sales.
[FR Doc. 94-20431 Filed 8-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P-M
